Tirupur is on an upward projectile with most companies reporting good business. At the recently concluded 2015 edition of the Knit-tech show, most of the exhibitors were enthusiastic of the growth potential of the market. To keep pace with possibilities, technology suppliers are adding new models and offering more variety which is in fact helping the entire industry to upgrade. More and more spinning units in Tirupur are investing in circular knitting and flat knitting machines, especially in jacquard, as the domestic market too is opening up, offering greater scope for design inputs. Apparel Online spoke with many technology suppliers at the show on the feelers they are getting from the market to analyze the current scenario of this dynamic hub.
Standing in a corner of his huge booth at the fair (his first ever participation in any expo in Tirupur), Foo Toon Pow, MD, Focus Garment Tech was very happy as there were plenty of quality visitors at his booth. Another reason for his contentment was the promising Tirupur market which is very upbeat nowadays. “We are working with this market from many years and now it is picking up strongly, so we expect extraordinary growth in the region over the next few years. While sewing machines will lead our sales, spreading machines, though expensive, will also get business and we expect to sell 5 to 10 sets over the next one year,” said Foo Toon Pow with full confidence. Offering complete range of cutting/spreading, sewing, fusing, finishing, washing etc. machines, the company projects demand in all segments. Similarly, having specialization in textile/garment printing machines, Cheran Machines India also launched its indigenous roll to roll sublimation machine in Tirupur, confident of positive response. “The industry needs value adding machines and in Tirupur it is an emerging trend, so we are sure for good response of the same here,” said R Mohan Kumar, MD of the company.
Knitting, the core strength of Tirupur is also on the growth track which is confirmed by the entry of new players in knitting technology like Jingmei from China. The brand supported by Santoni has just entered into this market and believes that its price-competitive machines with good technology will grab market share. Eva Xiao, looking after the sales of the company opined, “As we have already sold many machines in North India and Tirupur also has a good demand, we are sure of installing good number of machines here.” Having 250 installations in Bangladesh and starting operations in India just 6 month back, Earth Knitting Machinery Co., Taiwan with its Indian associate Trinity Tradex, Kolkata is also exploring Tirupur and have some good enquiries here.
Established companies like Mayer & Cie, Santoni and Pailung too are expecting good business from Tirupur. Claiming more than 25 per cent share in India and 70 per cent in Tirupur (in spandex jersey open width knitted fabric) Mayer & Cie is expecting very good growth in this hub. Timo Schramm, Regional Sales Manager, Mayer & Cie and Abhay Sidham, GM, Batliboi Textile Machinery Group shared that last year they delivered 200 circular knitting machines in India.
“We are sure to reach the same figure even this year and Tirupur contributes an important share to the total sales. The main reason for demand of our knitting machines is our quality,” averred the two. S. Rajani Khanth, Sales Manager, Yuvraj Merch-X (Pailung) added, “Few top vertically integrated companies of Coimbatore and Tirupur are having good setup of Pailung circular knitting machines and they are expanding, so it is motivating to other spinners to invest in knitting. We are currently in discussion with some spinners and can expect good installations in the next few months.”
A slight change in the profile of the hub is being noticed with the increasing demand for flat knitting machines. Companies like Voltas, The Empire Textiles, and Golden Falcon which offer circular as well as flat knitting machines agree that there is a new found interest in flat knitting. “Flat knitting is doing very good as till now domestic manufacturers were using plain hand flats and now they are using jacquard for more and more designing,” shared S. Boopathy, CEO, The Empire Textiles. The company has also recently started offering embroidery machines besides offering circular knitting machine with option of ‘two dia’ and a mini knitting machine especially designed for the domestic market. Golden Falcon too has seen good growth in the flat knitting segment. “Business can be even better in the region but labour shortage is really a big problem which to some extent is affecting fresh investment in the industry. As a solution we are trying to offer high productivity and low maintenance machines, from China,” said RS Kalidas, VP, Golden Falcon India. The company claims advancement (new software, added hardware) in its flat knitting machines which save resources of the garment manufacturers and supports them to grow. It also claims to have three systems (in one carriage) in collar making which no other technology provider can offer. Return on Investment is comparatively easy in flat knitting machines, so its users don’t fear to invest, especially in basic models or in multi-options machines. Increasing job work in flat knits is another reason for the same. A. Gopalakrishnan, Chief Executive, Unity Overseas Tirupur offering good range of knitting, value addition, and drying, finishing & dyeing machines concludes, “Every manufacturer is expecting good orders in the near future so they want to increase their production capacity by way of high and quality production. We are supporting them with most of the machines, as one-stop solution.”
